Kenya’s beer brand Tusker has teamed up with Cannes Lions to host the first See It Be It Connect in Nairobi, a mentorship programme aimed at fast-tracking mid-to-senior women in advertising and marketing.
Held on 29 November, the invitation-only event brought together female creatives and brand leaders for masterclasses, one-to-one mentoring and frank talks on leadership, representation and breaking glass ceilings in an industry still dominated by men.
Brigid Wambua, Tusker senior brand manager, said backing the global initiative was an easy decision. “Creativity is woven into Kenya’s soul and Tusker has always championed it,” she told guests. “Investing in women who shape our stories is not just good business, it is how we unlock the full power of an industry already worth more than 5% of GDP and heading towards 10%.”
Kenya’s creative economy has grown sharply in recent years, fuelled by advertising, film, music and digital content. Yet women remain under-represented in senior creative roles and agency ownership.
See It Be It Connect is part of Cannes Lions’ long-running global effort to close that gap. Tusker’s sponsorship follows years of support for local talent, from sending winners of the Young Lions Kenya competition to the French Riviera festival to giving hundreds of artists and vendors paid platforms at OktobaFest.
Participants described the day as energising and overdue. “For once we were in a room where every speaker looked like us and understood the specific barriers we face,” said one attending creative director.
With Kenya aiming to turn its creative sector into a $10 billion engine by 2030, initiatives that put women at the forefront are being seen as essential rather than optional.
Tusker says this is only the beginning of its partnership with Cannes Lions on gender parity programmes in East Africa.
